Good morning and welcome to our daily digest of automotive news from around the globe, starting with…

2022 Audi RS3 Has 394HP, Reaches 180MPH And Comes With A Special Drift Mode

Audi has announced to the world the tech specs for the upcoming 2022 RS3. The performance executive, available in both sedan or wagon body styles, will continue to be powered by a 2.5 liter turbocharged engine with 394 HP (400 PS) and 368 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque. However, the big headline is that the car will feature a drift mode thanks to a trick rear axel that offers active fully variable torque vectoring between the rear wheels.

2022 Hyundai Elantra N Teased Before Global Launch

It’s been a rather busy 24 hours for new car announcements, with Hyundai teasing its forthcoming 2022 Elantra N. The new images are our first official look at the performance sedan sans any camouflage and reveals a new wheel design, plus the car’s rear diffuser, large circular tailpipes, and a unique rear spoiler painted black. No launch date has been revealed just yet, but Hyundai expects to release more details over the coming weeks.

Volvo XC60 EV Announced, Should Arrive Around 2026

Sticking with new car announcements the successor to the XC60 has been announced as an EV. Granted this doesn’t come as a surprise, as the entire Volvo line-up will eschew internal combustion engines for battery power by 2030. However, we’ve now been given a release date of 2026, with more details to be revealed on June 30th.

New Peugeot 308 SW Is A Sexy And Practical Alternative to Compact SUVs

Praise the heavens, there’s at least a few manufacturers that opted to flog the concept of an estate/wagon in 2022, rather than reverting to a crossover-only policy. The new 308 SW is a stylish design, following in the footsteps of the 508 SW that has been garnering similar praise. It will be available with a choice of petrol, diesel, and plug-in hybrid powertrains and 8-speed automatic transmission.

Volkswagen Planning To Build And Sell Many More EVs In The U.S.

Volkswagen has revised its EV sales expectations upwards on the back of President Biden’s $174 billion push forward for EV cars. As reported by Bloomberg, brand development chief Thomas Ulbrich said that the Biden administration has created a new proposition for EVs in the market. He added that the car manufacturer is readying plans “to realign to this in a massive way,” but provided little else as to what this would entail.

Check Out The 2023 BMW X8 Super-Sized Coupe-SUV’s Stacked Exhaust Pipes

Stacked exhaust pipes are, to be honest, one of the least surprising design directions for BMW of late. But that shouldn’t stop you from realizing that it’s yet another departure from tradition. Of course, it’s not confirmed that such a design will reach production, but if these latest spy shots of the upcoming flagship SUV X8/X8M are anything to go by, they’re not far off from reality.

Tesla Model S Plaid Won’t Hit 200 MPH Until It Gets A Software Update

Despite being marketed as a 200mph car, the Model S Plaid won’t actually be able to achieve those speeds until a software update. In addition to being available at launch, there’s no clear rollout date as yet for the said update.

A McLaren 570S Burned To A Crisp In Las Vegas

A Mclaren 570S that allegedly belongs to a rental company in Las Vegas has been destroyed by fire. The blaze started at a gas station, and also engulfed the pump. Firefighters were supposedly asked to open the car’s frunk, while the driver arrived at his items and took off in an Uber.

What Else Is Making The News

Tens Of Thousands Sign Petition To Stop Jeff Bezos From Returning To Earth

Jeff Bezos and his brother, Mark, are set to board a flight into outer space on the 20th of July. And now, a petition with over 33,000 signatures to stop the billionaire from returning to earth has gained traction. As reported by NPR, the description reads, “Billionaires should not exist, on Earth, or in space, but should they decide the latter they should stay there.”

China tells banks to stop supporting cryptocurrency

China is rallying against cryptocurrencies causing fluctuations in the market over the last few days. Having shut down Bitcoin mining operations in the Sichuan province, the BBC reports that China’s government has now ordered banks and payments platforms to stop supporting digital currency transactions.